Rotary valve



Feb. 6, 1945. WEHR ROTARY VALVE Filed Feb. 6, 19 13 \NVENTOR RudOU/L fie/u BY ATZI'ORNEYS Patented Feb. 6, 1945 OriginaI applicationctober"12,-1940, Serial No. 360,863. Divided and this applicationFebruary 5, 1943, Serial No. 474,941

14 Claims.

The present application is a division of my application Serial No.360,863, filed October 12. 1940, now Patent No. 2,328,115,v August 31,1943.

The present invention relates to rotary valves for use in controllingthe admission and discharge of gases to and from internalcombustionengines, and more particularly to the lubrication of such valves. I

One object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedmeans for efiectively lubricating such valves, while preventing or re-.ducing to a minimum the leakage of lubricating oil into the hotcombustion gases in or emerging from the combustion chambers, therebycausing corresponding reduction in carbonization and smoking.

Various other objects of the invention will be (Cl. 123-190 j apparentfrom the following particular description, and from an inspection of theaccompanying drawing, in which Fig. l, is a sectional view of a portionof an internal combustion engine provided with a valve mechanism having.lubricating means embodying the present invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sections taken on lines 2--2 and, 3-3respectively of Fig. 1, but on a smaller scale; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic showing of the oil circulating system. I

In the form shown in the drawing, the engine has a series of combustioncylinders I0 provided with a cylinder head II constituting a valvev casing, and having a bore I3 for housing a series of rotary valve membersI2 in axial alignment. The

valve housing is provided with an intake port f I 4,, an exhaust port I5and a cylinder port. l6 for each cylinder. Each valve section I2 is provided with two symmetrically arranged recesses or passageways I 1,adapted to connect the cylinder port I6 with the intake port I 4 andexhaust port I5 in proper sequence upon'rotation of the valve.

The pressure exerted bythe ases. in the cylinder during the compressionand explosion of the gases tends to lift the rotor away from its seat atthe cylinder port I6 and permits leakage past the valve, and the heatingand expansion of the rotor might cause binding or fraction and wearingof the rotor and casing. To avoid this, each valve section I2 issupported at each end by suitable bearings. These are shown (asanti-friction bearings each comprising an outer race I9, aflixed at itsouter periphery in the bore I3 of the housing II, an inner race 20, anda series'of bearing balls 2I between said races. T

Each valve section I2 is provided at each'end with a boss 22 abuttingthe end ofthe inner race 20, and a shaft or trunnion 23 of reducedfdiameter extending axially from said boss into the bore of said innerrace. The opposed shafts 23 of adjoining rotors I2 are keyed-orotherwise affixed together or to the inner races. 20, so that all thevalve sections are co-axially connected for rotation in unison. Therotation of these rotors may be effected in any manner well-known in theart.

Inorder to maintain the valve section I2 and the housing II in propergas-tight seating contact under varying conditions ofheat and pressure,the seating section of one of said members may be serrated to form aseries of V-shaped ridges 25 of small cross-section, extendingtransversely of'the direction of relative movement 01 said members.Furthermore, the interior .surface of the casing opposite to eachcylinder port is cut away or made larger so that the valve sec: tions donot contact. therewith. This construction per 56 forms no part of thepresent application, and is fully disclosed and claimed inmy aforesaidcopen'ding application.

To prevent leakage of lubricating oil or gas endwise of the valve, eachof the rotors is pro-. vided near each end with a peripheral groove toreceive a split metal packing ring 36, of the piston ring typeiexpansible into sealing engagement withthe peripheral wallof the housingII.

For lubricating the valve mechanism, the ends of the rotors I2 arespaced from the corresponding ends of the bearings by the bosses 22 toform lubricant chambers M on opposite sides of each bearing, and thelower sectio-n of the' housing II.

is recessed opposite each race ring I9 to provide a transverse groove orsump 43 interconnecting saidchambers. sirably under considerablepressure from a suitable pressure source such as. a pump 39, into one'orboth of the chambers 4I through an inlet 44 at the top, and is exhaustedfrom each sump 43 through a discharge pipe 45. As shown, the pipe 44leads to only one of the. chambers, but a groove across the top of therace ring I9 may be provided sim-. ilar to the groove 43, and the pipe44 lead directly to this groove.

Means are provided for creating a suction on the several lubricantdischarge pipes which is ap; proximately equal to that created in thefuel passages I'I during the suction stroke of the engine bearings andthus come intocontact and be Lubricating oil is introduced de-' burnedby the exhaust gases,- and cause the engine to smoke. This suction maybe created by various means such as a pump or a vacuum tank..

gasoline was sucked from the supply tank and drained to the carburetor.As the partial vacuum trolled type once commonly used and into which inthe intake manifold is substantially constant,

the lubricant chambers will be maintained under substantially the samepartial vacuum.

To permit oil to be fed to the packing rings 36 against the action ofthe vacuum around the bearings, and to prevent high pressure combustionvgases from blowing into the chambers 4| and 42, each rotor I2 is formedor provided at each end between the chambers 4| and the adjoiningpacking rings with a circular section 41, formed on its periphery withfine shallow screw threads of comparatively small pitch. As an example,these may be equivalent to about 32 turns to the inch. The threads ofthe section 41 have a lad or direction which when the rotors l2 arerotated, 8f? feet screw feeding of the oil from the chambers 4| and 42to the rings 36, to lubricate the latter. The lead of the threads on therotor section 41 to produce the oil feeding effect noted depends on thedirection of rotation of the rotors. If, for instance, the rotors l2 aredriven in counterclock wise direction as viewed in Fig. 2, the righthand rotor section 41 of each rotor will have left hand threads, whilethe left hand rotor section 41 of said rotor will have right handthreads.

By providing a thread surface engagement between the rotor section 41and the cylindrical wall of the rotor housing H, the amount of frictionbetween the contacting surfaces is reduced to a minimum, so that theamount of oil necessary to effectively lubricate these surfaces iscorrespondingly reduced. Furthermore, the provision of these threadedsections 41 eliminates the neces sity of accurate machining as would benecessary if these sections 41 were cylindrical, and reduces thepossibility of the rotors binding in their housing l I when heated andexpanded. Also, by providing threads, the surface contact and thereforewear between the sections 41 and the housing ll vis evenly distributedinstead of being localized as wouldbe the case if the ridges or teeth onthe rotor sections 41 had no pitch.

To prevent leakage of oil past the packing rings 36 and into thecylinders l0, each rotor I2 is desirably provided on the side of eachpacking ring 36 opposite the threaded section 41 with a circular section48 having fine shallow screw threads similar to those on the sections41. They may have a lead or direction which tends to keep the oil whichleaks past the packing rings 31 from flowin into the combustion chamberIII. For that purpose, the threads of each of the rotor sections 48 onone side of the packing ring 31 may be in a direction opposite to thelead or di rection of the threads of the section 41 on the other side ofsaid packing ring.

As pointed out in my application hereinbefore referred to, theserrations 25 on the-valves retard and substantially prevent the flow ofgases transversely to'the direction of the serrations. In a similar way,the threads on the sections 41 and 48 are transverse to the direction offlow of gases lengthwise of the valve and substantially prevent theescape of gases into the chambers containing the bearings. 'Thus thevacuum maintained in said chambers may be substantially lower than thatin the engine cylinders during the suction strokes of the pistons.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and manyapparently widely differ-- ent embodiments of the invention could bemade without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1'. A rotary valve mechanism for internal combustion engines, comprisinga rotary valve member, a housing having bearings therein for said memberand a lubricant chamber communicating with one of, said bearings, saidchamber having an oil inlet and an oil outlet, and a circular membercoaxially rigid with said valve member and disposed between said chamberand the valve seating section of said valve member and having outerperipheral threads engaging the inner wall of said housing, and meansfor substantially continuously maintaining said outlet under. partialvacuum during operation of the engine. e

2. A rotary valve mechanism 'for internal combustion engines, comprisinga rotary valve member, a housing having bearings for said member and alubricant chamber communicating with one of said bearings, said chamberhaving an oil inlet and an oil outlet and a circular member coaxiallyrigid with said valve member and disposed between said chamber and thevalve seating section of said valve member, and having outer peripheralthreads engaging the inner wall of said housing, and leading in adirection to screw feed lubricant from said chamber lengthwise of saidvalve member upon rotation of said latter member, and means forsubstantially continuously maintaining said outlet under partial vacuumduring, operation,

of the engine.

3.. A rotary valve mechanism for internal combustion engines, comprisinga rotor having a valve section, a housing having a bearing forsaidrotor, a metal packing ring between said bearing and said valvesection, a circular member coaxially rigid with said rotor and disposedbetween each pair of adjoining valve members for supporting saidvalvemembers, a housing for said valve members and said bearing, alubricant chamber between each side of a bearing and the adjacent endface of an adjoining valve member, means for delivering lubricant toeach pair of, adjoining chambers, and means for said valve member, and alubricant chamber in said housing having an inlet and an outlet, andhaving communication with said bearing, means for delivering lubricantoil to said inlet, and means for substantially continuously maintainingsaid outlet under partial vacuum during operation of the engine. a 6. Inan internal combustion engine, a rotary valve for controlling theadmission and discharge of gas to and from the combustion cylindercomprising a housing, a rotor therein, a lubricant chamber in saidhousing bounded .on one side by one end of said'rotor, said rotor havinga threaded end section adapted to screw feed lubricant from said chamberlengthwise of said rotor upon rotation of said rotor, and means forsubstantially continuously maintaining said chamber under subatmosphericpressure during operation of the engine.

7. In an internal combustion engine,.a rotary valve for controlling theadmission and discharge of gas to and from the combustion cylindercomprising a housing, a rotor therein, a lubricant chamber bounded onone side by one end of said rotor, and a split ring mounted in aperipheral groove of said rotor and expansible into contact with theperipheral wall of said housing, the end section of said rotor on oneside of said lubricant chamber being peripherally threaded to screw feedlubricant from said chamber to said ring upon rotation of said rotor,and means for substantially continuously maintaining said chamber undersubatmospheric pressure during operation of the engine.

8. In an internal combustion engine, a rotary valve for controllingtheadmission and discharge of gas to and from the combustion cylindercomprising a housing, a rotor therein, bearings in said housing forsupporting said rotor, and spaced away from one end of said rotor andforming therewith a lubricant chamber, said.

housing having an inlet and an outlet to said chamber, a split metalring mounted in a peripheral groove of said rotor, and expansible intocontact with the peripheral wall of said housing, the end section ofsaid rotor on one side of said lubricant chamber being peripherallythreaded to screw feed lubricant from said chamber to said ring uponrotation of said rotor, and means for substantially continuouslymaintaining said chamber under partial vacuum during operation of theengine.

9. A rotary valve comprisingfa housing, a rotor therein and having aperipheral groove near one end thereof, a packing ring in said grooveengaging the. peripheral wall of said housing, the sections of saidrotor on opposite sides of said ring being peripherally threaded, meansfor delivering lubricant to the threads the rotor section nearest theend, said latter threads having aLlead which will effect screw feedingof the lubricant lengthwise of said rotor upon rotation of said rotor,and alubricant outlet from said chamber and maintained undersub-atmospheric pressure.

.10. A rotary valve mechanism comprising ahousing, a pair of rotors insaid housing, a bearing unit for said rotors disposed in said housingbetween said rotors and spaced from the adjoining ends of said rotors toform a pair of lu-z bricant chamberson opposite sides of said bearingunit, means for delivering lubricant to said chambers, and means forsubstantially contin I uously creating a partial vacuum in said chambersduring rotation of said mechanism.

11. A rotary valve mechanism comprising a housing, a pair of rotors insaid housing, a hearing unit for said rotors disposed .in saidhousingbetween said rotors and spaced from the adjoining ends of said rotors toform a pair of lubricant chambers on opposite sides of said bearingunit, means for delivering lubricant to said chambers, andsuctionmeansfor substantially continuously withdrawinglubricant from saidchambersduring rotation of said mechanism.

12. A rotary valve mechanism comprising a housing, a pair of rotors insaid housing, an anti-friction bearing unit for said rotorsdisposed insaid housing between said rotors and spaced from the adjoining ends ofsaid rotors to form a pair of lubricant chambers on oppo-. site sides ofsaid bearing unit, means for delivering' lubricant to said chambers,said rotors having at the ends thereof adjacent said bearing unitperipherally threaded cylindrical sections, and means for maintaining asubstantially constant subatmospheric pressure in said chambers.-

13. A rotary valve mechanism comprising a housing a pair of rotors insaid housing, an antifriction bearing unit for said rotors disposed insaid housing between said rotors, and spaced from the adjoining ends ofsaid rotors to form a pair of lubricant chambers on opposite sides.

of said bearing unit, separate means for delivering lubricant to. eachof said chambers, each ofsaid rotors having a peripheral groove near Ieach end, a split packing :ring in each of said grooves, the sections ofeach rotor on opposite sides of each of. its grooves being peripherallythreaded, and separate means for substantially, continuously withdrawinglubrioant'from each of said chambers during rotation of said mechanism;

14. A rotary ,valve mechanism comprising a housing, a pair of rotors insaid housing, an antifriction bearing unit for said rotors disposed insaid housing between said rotors, and spaced from the adjoining ends ofsaid rotors toform a pair of lubricant chambers on opposite sides ofsaid bearing unit, means for delivering lubri-' cant to said chambers,eachof said rotors hav-' ing a peripheral groove near each end, a splitpacking ring in each'of said grooves, the .sec-'

